"I am sorry sir."
"He obviously was searching other places, didn't you hear him say he was going to scout again?"
"But we could help" he added.
"Clive" another soldier called out to him.
"Assistant Lieutenant sir."
"Listen to Lieutenant Flynn, you are knew here and do not know, Prince Blade goes solo" the Assistant Lieutenant explained.
"Yes sir, I understand now" he kept a straight face as he bowed his head to his superiors.
"Dismiss. Everyone move out" Lieutenant Flynn ordered.
All the soldiers got their weapons are continued with their search.
*******
Back in the cave, Astrid opened her eyes, took in her surroundings and slowly sat up, using her elbow for support. Her eyes landed on the mother and son white tiger-pheonix beasts lying at a corner adjacent from where she stayed.
"Hello" her voice came out rough and raspy a bit.
Heads turned in her direction, without wasting much time, little white-fire ran from where it laid in his mother's bosom and dashed into her arms.
The action was quite fast and her frail body couldn't support the weight of the small beast in her arms. Caught off balance, she fell back down on the ground.
"Little white-fire" it inched close to her face and licked her face, in joy its wings spread in excitement as it flapped behind it.
"Glad to see you're awake" the all too familiar voice spoke in her head, breaking her from her play with its cub.
"Glad to be awake" she spoke back without moving her lips.
For both of them, mind communication seemed to be perfect. It got up slowly and took several steps, each limb moving cross the other in a cat walk manner.
It majestically walked up closed to Astrid, being the majestic beast that it was and laid back down as it watched its cub play with the hybrid.
"How do you feel? Have the headaches gone down?" Big white-fire poured the questions in her mind.
"Well, I do not seem to be having any headache of the sort, I feel more energetic than before" Astrid explained as her gaze just stayed on the big white tiger-pheonix beast.
To another person, it would feel like they were staring at each other, but a whole lot more than that was going on. It was as though the big white tiger-pheonix beast could peer into her very soul.
"You over exerted yourself that day young one, you used too much magic, it could have cost you more than just a coma. You should know, you do not have an endless supply of magic. Creating such large explosions constantly, would cost you greatly."
"I am sorry" Astrid replied back.
The little white-fire sat on her lap as it rested his head close to her chest. Astrid carefully stroked it with her fingers and it purred.
"It's okay, I just need to let you know it can be risky. Imagine of it was a war scenario, and you lost consciousness like that, your enemies can kill or capture you" she warned Astrid again.
"Thanks for your concern White-Fire" her lips curved into a small smile as she gazed at White-Fire.
"There, there, boy. Missed me?" Bending low a bit, she hugged the little white tiger-pheonix beast in her arms.
She released it and straightened herself a more, "Where is Jareth?" She mind communicated with the big white tiger-pheonix beast again.
"He went out to get water, so when you wake up you would have something to drink" it replied her.
"Ohh, how thoughtful, I am thirsty and hungry I must say. Not very much as I feel so energetic for no reason" she flexed her arms, turned her neck both sides, and smiled at the white tiger-pheonix beast.
"You are a magic being and those days of rest, helped restore your energy and magic."
"How many hours or days was I out for this time?"
"A couple of hours, almost a full day."
"Wow, at least I didn't pass out for days this time around."
"Like I said, it was to replenish your strength and magic. You passed out again because your body had not fully recovered, this causing the headaches earlier on."
"Come to think of it, let me try if I can recall what had happened that day" she was full of energy now and had her usual cheerful self.
All of a sudden she stopped, her face became gloomy, her expression darkened as she bent her head.
"What is wrong young one?"
"It's just, the last time I tried... " she closed her eyes shut as she recalled the throbbing sensation in her head before.
"Astrid, calm down! That was before, relax, take in deep breaths, slowly, slowly."
She obeyed, and inhaled deeply, but slowly. In, out, in, out, as she did this her chest heaved up and down in response to her action. She repeated this for a few minutes and her she felt more relaxed now.
Her face started lightening up once more. "Okay, I am ready to try again" she said out loud this time.
The big white tiger-pheonix beast simply nodded at her as it watched carefully.
A shadow entered when she was about closing her eyes, both heads turned in the direction of the entrance to the cave swiftly.